This invention relates generally to the field of toys and games.
Tiddlywinks is a well known game of skill played by people of all ages. The game is played with shooter chips and shot disks and utilizes a launch area and a target receptacle such as a cup. The shooter chips are typically plastic disks similar to medium-sized coins and the shot disks are typically similar plastic disks somewhat smaller in size than the shooter disks. The object of the game is to shoot shot disks from the launch area into the target receptacle. A shot disk is placed on the launch area which is typically a felt-like surface covering a supportive backing material. The shooter chip is held by a participant between his thumb and index finger and its edge is applied with a degree of pressure to the flat surface of the shot disk. The shooter chip edge is moved across the shot disk until it snaps off the disk and onto the launch area, causing the shot disk to fly through the air toward the target receptacle. Typically, the distance of a shot depends upon the degree of pressure applied to the shot disk and the angle at which the shooter chip is held with respect to the shot disk at the time of release. Directional accuracy is dependent upon the line of contact between the shooter chip and the shot disk.
Mastery of tiddlywinks is dependent upon manual skill, that is, the development of the proper "feel" necessary to achieve the accuracy of direction and range required to shoot a shot disk into the target cup. Comparison of manual skill provides the primary competitive interest in the game of tiddlywinks. However, the basic game does not have great or lasting appeal for adults, primarily because it is lacking in competition value.
By this invention, an improved tiddlywinks game is provided which injects a large measure of additional mental activity into the basic game. The inventive game provides competitive interest both from a comparison of manual skills and from the use of the strategy and tactics made possible by this invention. The game is such that the best shooter can be beaten by a good shooter who excels in choice of targets, as will be made apparent hereafter. With such added competition value, the game is much more appealing to adults than the basic game of tiddlywinks.
The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved tiddlywinks game having improved competition value.